Pipe wrench



c. L. ANDERSON AND 1.1. SMITH.

PIPE WRENCH.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 29, 1921.

Patfiilted June 27, 1922.

I N VEN TORS, Chester A. flndenswz,

James 7. 5m z'ik,

A TTORNE Y.

UNETED STATES earner OFFECE.

CHESTER L. ANDERSONQXND JfilVfFii '1; SMITH, OF SFRINGFIEL-D, MASSACHUSETTS.

PIPE WRENCH.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patgnijed June: 27, 1922,

Application filed Januar 29,1921. Serial No. 440,920.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that W6,,CHESTER L. ANDER- soN and JAMES T. SMITH, citizens of the United States of America, residing at Springfield, in the county of Hampden and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pipe renches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in pipe wrenches of the type in which a fixed and a movable jaw are employed, the movable jaw being pivotally attached to the fixed jaw.

An object of the invention is to provide a pipe wrench which is particularly adapted for operation in close proximity to a fixed surface, as a wall or partition. Another object is to provide a pipe-wrench which can be readily adjusted to fit pipes of different sizes.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the completed wrench showing in full lines how it is adapted to be used in close proximity to a fixed surface, and in dotted lines showing the jaws engaging a pipe of smaller size.

Fig. 2 is a detail view of the jaw that is pivotally attached to the fixed jaw.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 33 of Fig. 1 of the joint construction.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 44 of Fig. 1 showing the latch for varying the size or opening of the jaws.

Fig. 5 is a detail View of the movable plate.

Referring to the drawings in detail: 1

designates the handle portion'of the wrench which is formed with an inclined or tapered end part 1 on which is placed the plate 2 of tempered or hardened material. This plate is formed with the rearwardly extending teeth 2. It is secured to the handle portion 1 by any suitable means, as the screws 3. 4 is a jaw that is pivotally attached to the handle 1 by means of the plates 5 and 6 (see Fig. 3), and the transversely located pin 7 The plates 5 and 6 are secured to the handle 1 by means of the bolts 8 and 9. The upper and forward edge of the jaw 4 is formed with notches or serrations 10 to receive the cross bar 11 of the holding latch 12. This latch is pivotally attached to the handle 1 by means of. the pin 13. 14 is a leaf spring which is secured to the underside of the jaw 4. This spring rests upon the inner edge of the handle 1 and acts to normally move the jaw 4 upward or outward away from the handle. It also serves to retain thecross bar 11 of the latch 12 in place in any one of the serrations or notches 10. It is, of course, understood that the extent of opening of the jaws is determined by the size of the pipe upon which the wrench is to operate. The jaw 4 is provided on the under forward sur face with a slida-ble plate 15, a detail of which in plan View is shown in Fig. 5. This plate is formed with an upwardly extending boss or part 16 having an opening through which passes a pin that is secured to a threaded opening 18 in the end of the jaw, as shown in Fig. 2. This pin is surrounded at its inner end by a coil spring 19 under compression which bears against the bottom of the opening at one end and against the upwardly extending part 16 at its opposite end. The plate is formed with a recess 15 to receive the shank of the retaining Screw 20, and at the same time permit the plate to slide rearwardly on the jaw 4. This movable plate also permits the wrench to fit and adapt itself to any irregular surfaces in a pipe, in order to obtain a good grip or bite on the pipe.

The size of the opening of the jaw 4 is, of course maintained by the latch 12.

20 designates a section of a pipe upon which the jaws of the wrench are operating. 21 designates in dotted lines a smaller pipe. 22 designates a portion of a fixed wall or partition in close proximity to which the pipes 20 and 21 are located, and the wrench is shown engaging the larger one. By making the ends 23 and 24 of the jaws tapered they can be readily inserted between two pipes that are located near each other, and also placed very close to the partition.

What we claim is:

1. A pipe wrench comprising in combination, with a handle member having a serrated pipe gripping jaw portion on its forward end, of a movable jaw pivotally connected to the handle member and formed with pipe gripping serrations on its forward edge and located opposite the serrations on the handle member, a latch pivotally connected to the handle member and engaging the serrations on the movable jaw member for adjusting the distance between the movable serrated jaw and the handle, the movable jaw having an opening therein, a plate covering the opening and means in the opening to permit the plate to slide on the jaw,

rated plate outward, a latch for varying the distance between the serrated plates of the handle and jaw, the oppositely located forward ends of the handle and jaw being formed with oppositely extending inclined surfaces, as described, whereby the aws are adapted to operate in close proximity to a fixed surface, as a wall or the like, and between pipes that are close together.

CHESTER L. ANDERSON. JAMES T. SMITH. 

